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The Galleria Mall At 5085 Westheimer Rd.


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It took my girlfriend a *full hour* around 4pm today (a Saturday!) to get from just west of the Galleria area to Max's Wine Dive on Washington - a trip that would normally be 15-20 mins. Crazy traffic. Is this really all attributable to the All-Star game? Are that many people really here? The Toyota Center only holds around 20,000, right?

This article says they were expecting 50,000 visitors. It's not totally clear, but they may be talking about the festivities all weekend, not outside visitors.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/aliciajessop/2013/02/17/how-houston-became-the-host-city-for-the-2013-nba-all-star-game/

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One of our Dallas reps flew into town yesterday morning and hadn't reserved a rental car (he's never had an issue before), but was turned away by multiple rental agencies with the answer "we don't have any cars to rent".

 

I guess he's going to ensure a reservation in the future, but that's just indicative of how many people were in town (and still may be in town).

 

As was mentioned in the thread in the sports section, traffic on all freeways was horrible. southwest freeway approaching downtown appeared to be standard 5 o'clock traffic all weekend long. same on the gulf freeway from telephone up to pierce elevated.

 

I also heard from a friend that was at IAH yesterday was that he'd never seen the airport that full (I'm guessing he didn't make it to the airport when Rita was scaring everyone).

 

Driving home from the grocery store on Sunday night (Randalls in midtown), rather than going the normal route up Louisiana to Pierce, I went up to Leeland and just took that back out to the east end, cars were parked all over the streets on the east side of downtown, tour buses were lined up on La Branch, and cops were posted up at every intersection from main out to 59.

 

Houston was noticeably much fuller than normal.

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I was on my way home (left the Woodlands at 4:27pm, traffic was fine going south on 45, and normal on 610 until Woodway. Woodway/Post Oak is my exit home. So I crawled past exit after exit which was closed, got on 59 South, and Chimney Rock was closed too! Finally exited Fountian View, and made it home at 7:36pm.

What a nightmare! And then I decided to go wedding present shopping at the Galleria on Sunday. Huge mistake...

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All I have to say is METRO-LIGHT RAIL !  If Houston would stop playing politics and go ahead and built the University Line, Uptown Line, and future Inner-Katy line, you could have directed traffic alot more smoothly on the westside of town.  The issue is not the amount of people, but instead the number of cars on the road !  You could have used rail to get from downtown to uptown/galleria with ease, and then walk to the galleria right next door.  I just hope we can get some people who can think progressive in leadership positions.

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All I have to say is METRO-LIGHT RAIL ! If Houston would stop playing politics and go ahead and built the University Line, Uptown Line, and future Inner-Katy line, you could have directed traffic alot more smoothly on the westside of town. The issue is not the amount of people, but instead the number of cars on the road ! You could have used rail to get from downtown to uptown/galleria with ease, and then walk to the galleria right next door. I just hope we can get some people who can think progressive in leadership positions.

I doubt everyone who was in the Galleria area came from Downtown or the inner loop. So you should be talking about commuter rail, or people's mindless obsession with celebrities.

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  • 6 months later...

Big changes are coming to the Galleria.

 

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/article/Galleria-project-aims-to-up-glam-factor-4788137.php

 

From the Chron article:
 

An ambitious plan to bring more high-end retail to the Houston Galleria will start with moving Saks Fifth Avenue into fancier digs and getting rid of one of the mall's two Macy's department stores.

When demolition and reconstruction of what is now the Galleria III is complete, scheduled for fall 2015, an expanded Saks flagship will open in the space now occupied by the Macy's facing Sage and other shops.

 

Mall developer Simon Property Group plans to renovate the existing Saks space nearby to accommodate about 35 new stores and maybe some restaurants.

 

 

Simon said it might even add a 300-unit high-rise that would provide well-heeled residents direct access to Galleria shops. The renovations are driven by retailer demand, "especially among luxury tenants," said David Contis, president of Simon Malls.

 

 

Edited by elecpharm
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Demolition of old Macy's and Galleria III, newly rebuilt Saks 5th Ave moving to an expanded 2-level store in Macy's/Galleria III space. Total renovation of existing Sak's space into 35 smaller shops and restaurants. Completion scheduled for Fall 2015.

 

(Possible 300-unit highrise at West Alabama and Sage!)

 

Galleria project aims to up glam factor

rawImage.jpg

Simon Property Group

Rendering of the space currently occupied by Saks Fifth Avenue that will house about 35 new stores and maybe restaurants

When demolition and reconstruction of what is now the Galleria III is complete, scheduled for fall 2015, an expanded Saks flagship will open in the space now occupied by the Macy's facing Sage and other shops.

 

 

Contis said a 300-unit residential high-rise - with an outdoor pool and an indoor connection to the Galleria - is envisioned for the corner of West Alabama and Sage.

He said Simon is still in the planning process, studying infrastructure and construction issues, "but we think it can get done."

 

 

Edited by HOUSTONIAN (N-ATL)
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Shame to loose the Johnson, Sak's Facade. But...the demolition/Reconstruction of Galleria II and Opening up the Sak's space to extend the Mall corridor make sense.

 

The good news is, according to the rendering, we are not completely losing the facade. 

 

Exciting news from the Galleria.  Only a little disappointed they didn't snag a Bloomingdale's for the project.

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Galleria III has been suffering for years. It was never properly connected, and it was awfully empty even in 2008 back when Sharper Image and FOX Sports Grill were still around. Still, I'm a little sad to see it go. 

 

Frankly, I'm surprised that Macy's at Sage was able to survive for this long.

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I used to always park there with my Dad as a kid when we would go Christmas shopping.

 

Over the years, it slowly came our own parking lot haha.

 

About 2 weeks ago I went to the Galleria and just because I was closest to that entrance, I decided to park in the bottom floor.  It is actually to the point that is it gross.  The escalators are not only not on, they have crap all over them...needless to say this is WAY past due.

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It had to be done it was always awkward to have to walk thru Saks to get the the Galleria III. I cant wait to see how it turns out, with the residential high rise and all. 

 

Now the only thing I wish they would do is develop the parking lots at the SW corner of Post Oak & Westheimer. Also it would be great if they redeveloped the Dillards and its parking lot.

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Isn't that the same as the existing?

 

No, it looks very similar but from the chronicle its states

 

 

Galleria III, a wing that includes the Macy's store facing Sage, will be torn down to make way for a Saks Fifth Avenue flagship.

The current Saks space will be renovated to hold about 35 new stores and maybe restaurants.

Macy's will consolidate into its department store that faces West Alabama and Hidalgo.

A building for a few high-end tenants will be built in the surface parking lot along Westheimer.

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/article/Galleria-project-aims-to-up-glam-factor-4788137.php

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Dang, I honestly had no idea this area of the Galleria even existed.

The only time I've ever been inside a department store at the galleria is when passing through it to get to the interior shopping area.

Not sure I've ever bought anything at the Galleria either. I've only been there a hand full of times in my adult life. Then again I am a man.

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The view from Neimans to the new Saks would need to be the same should the renovations provide a continuous open corridor. The new configuration may have a more significant WOW factor when one enters the central mall corridor if bookended by Neimans/new Saks.

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The only time I've ever been inside a department store at the galleria is when passing through it to get to the interior shopping area.

Not sure I've ever bought anything at the Galleria either. I've only been there a hand full of times in my adult life. Then again I am a man.

......uhhhh, no comment.

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